METRO MANILA, PHILLIPPINES 28 Feb 2017 – The Royal Brunei Air Force attended the 4th ASEAN Air Force Education and Training (AAFET) Workshop in Belmont Hotel, Pasay City. The opening ceremony was officiated by the Air Force Internal Auditor, Brigadier General Simplicion Angos Lumantas Jr, Armed Forces of the Phillippines.The event was attended by 10 ASEAN member countries namely The Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia and Brunei. The Royal Brunei Air Force delegate was attended by Lieutenant Colonel (U) Hishamuddin bin Abidin, Chief of Staff of Royal Brunei Air Force and Major (U) Pg Muhammad Farisan bin Pg Hj Metassan, Staff Officer Grade 2 A7 Training.
For this year, AAFET focus on the realization and further enhancement of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR). This draft was finalized last year in Yogyakarta, Indonesia during the 3rd AAFET WG, updating the ASEAN Air Chief Conference (AACC) Website as well as Proposed ASEAN Air Force (AAF) SOP 3-year HADR Work Plan.
In order to test the AAF SOP, the Table Top Exercise (TTX) was conducted for three days in the event. The TTX aims to assess the validity and appropriateness of the proposed structure, protocols, and Concept of Operations to other member countries as stated in the SOP.
Furthermore, the TTX is to enhance the Air Force – to – Air Force coordination and interoperability during HADR Operations particularly in the areas of information Sharing, Deployment, Requirements, and coordination Mechanisms.
The three days’ event has resulted in finding gaps and opportunity to enhance and strengthen the coordinative effort for prompt response on HADR operation by using the AAF SOP and Standard Operating Procedure for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Operations (SASOP).
